Takeover Day 2011, the fifth annual edition of the scheme allowing young minds to grab the reins at cultural organisations across the land, has proved a rampaging success at Britain’s museums and galleries.

At Manchester Art Gallery, an inquisition to find out precisely what the exquisite collection of Pre-Raphaelite paintings held behind the doors means to Mancunians today was enthusiastically pursued by a gaggle of excited visitors.

Music and dancing were swiftly followed by a few lasting embellishments to the walls. "Young people have been producing signs, tweeting and visiting the art store to see the work of conservators," they reported.

Another of the city's best attractions, the Whitworth Art Gallery, faced the faintly scary sight of children in shadow suits as Medlock Primary School infiltrated the building. The People’s History Museum also declared an invasion.

The crystal balls were out at Wolverhampton Art Gallery, where one of the groups wasted no time in planning craft workshops in the heart of the Black Country in Easter 2012.

At the mind-expanding Horniman Museum in London, explorers were introduced to the African Worlds gallery, finding greeting cups from the Democratic Republic of Congo and ancient Latin etchings lying in wait.

Down in Cornwall, Penlee House invited pupils from Penpol School to choose the next exhibition in Gallery 5. With just a fortnight until its expected hang they had to move quickly, devising and writing labels to adorn the walls of the display.

Yorkshire gem the Leeds Museum announced a day of fun and activities for children – all free of charge – and the Museum of London and the Ironbridge Gorge in Shropshire were both teeming with teachers supervising joyful collective classroom mutinies.

Children's Commissioner Maggie Atkinson, who helped co-ordinate the campaign with Kids in Museums, was at the Firepower Museum in London.

"The day was a great success," she said, thanking the participants. "It was an amazing experience for all involved."

Up to 50,000 children are thought to have taken part, and plans are already underway in earnest for the sixth instalment in 2012.

Visit Takeover Day online and follow the campaign on Twitter by using the hashtag #TakeoverDay2011.